


The Wedding

by mycomfortblanket



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst, Arranged Marriage, AtLA, Avatar the Last Airbender, F/M, FUK, Marriage, Taang - Freeform, Toph Beifong - Freeform, Toph x Aang, Wedding, aang - Freeform, but not to each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-15 14:49:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29685633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mycomfortblanket/pseuds/mycomfortblanket
Summary: An hour before her wedding, Toph and Aang are together for the last time.
Relationships: Aang/Toph Beifong
Comments: 15
Kudos: 16





	The Wedding

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Layzhe_06](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Layzhe_06/gifts).



> For Layzhe_o6 once again. You asked for a wedding but you didn't say who with.

Toph is standing in front of a three-way mirror on top of a pedestal while her mother and seamstress circle her making minor adjustments. Her face looks puffy from the crying she had done earlier in the day and suffocated from the make up that's plastered to her face. Her mom had sprayed some kind of chemical onto her face afterwards to keep the makeup in place. 

She keeps her face pointed downwards so that her mother doesn’t see the tears that are threatening to spill over any second. The bangs that were normally hanging in her face had been pinned back so every emotion could be seen. 

Standing in the doorway with his hands in his pocket, Aang watches as Toph manages to keep such a neutral expression that would have impressed Koh. He sees her hands balled up in fists at her sides and the glistening in her eyes, he wonders why her mother won’t say something.

Poppy looks up and sees Aang watching them and her eyes flood with relief, “Oh, Aang, honey. I didn’t think you were going to be able to make it today.” She must be thinking that Aang could calm Toph down and help her get through the day. 

“Hey Mrs. Beifong, it’s good to see you again,” he says, accepting her outstretched hand. Poppy pulls him into a hug and kisses him on the cheek. 

“I’ll leave you two alone for a bit. I’ll come back before it’s time for the ceremony,” she says, pulling the door closed behind her and the seamstress.

Aang looks back over to Toph and sees her still standing on the pedestal with her face casted downwards. Her tears are openly flowing now and her shoulders shaking just slightly. 

Quietly, he walks over to her and stands behind her, looking at her reflection in the mirror. Spirits, she is gorgeous. Beautiful, actually, but her tears and clenched fists ruin the image. 

Her wedding day shouldn’t be like this. She should be happy and laughing, throwing around sarcastic insults and punches, not looking like her life is ending. She should be marrying someone she loves, not the highest bidder with the most family connections. She should be marrying him. 

Aang reaches up and lightly takes her hand and turns her towards him, “Come sit down with me,” his voice soft as if talking to a wounded animal. He gently leads her over to one of the couches, and sits beside her, careful not to sit on her dress. Spirits know that if he messed it up, Poppy would have his head. 

Holding her hand in his, he rubs his thumb over the back of hers in a soothing motion as the tears continue to leak out of her eyes. 

“I can’t do this, Twinkles,” Toph whispers. 

The use of his nickname makes him smile sadly. He rests his forehead against her shoulder, trying to give her some kind of courage to get through this day. He doesn't think he himself can get through the day, but he knows he needs to be strong for her. 

“You know I have to have sex with him tonight,” Aang snaps his head up to look at her. “I have to consummate the marriage, my mother said. My blood has to stain the sheets and the servants that come to change the bedding have to check,” her voice watery, but still she stares straight ahead, as if she has already accepted her fate. 

“They can’t actually make you do that, can they?” Aang asks in horror but Toph just nods her head before he even finishes his sentence. 

“They’re going to know that I’m not a virgin. They’re going to know what we did and then the marriage will be a disgrace and my family's name will be tainted and… and…” Aang wraps Toph in a hug, his heart breaking for her. 

“And if I do manage to get through the night and somehow I do bleed. Then what? I'll be stuck in a marriage with a man I don't know and eventually bear his children. I just can't do it, Twinkletoes.” 

The thought of her having anyone's children but his makes him physically sick. He swallows hard around the lump in his throat. This was about her, not him. He could deal with his own problems later, right now, she needed him. 

There's a knock at the door and they hear her mom call out to them, “30 minutes guys!” 

Toph stands up and smooths her hands down the front of her dress and walks over to the water basin on the other side of the room. Dipping her hand inside the bowl, she feels the flower petals that are floating around. Slowly she drags her hand around creating a whirlpool and the petals get sucked under. 

“Do you remember the first time we were together?” She says, her voice just loud enough to carry across the room to him. She lets out a small laugh that actually makes him smile happily for the first time that day. 

Standing up, he goes over to her and wraps his arms around her waist from behind. He buries his face in her neck and inhales her scent. 

“I got you drunk on that Fire Nation whiskey from Zuko’s palace and it seemed to put enough hair on your chest to get you to make a move,” She leans her head back against his shoulder. She lets out a long sigh and closes her eyes, enjoying the feeling of his arms around her. “I've missed you so much, Aang.” 

The use of his actual name makes him wrap his arms around her tighter and a single tear escapes. Feeling the wetness on her neck, she turns in his arms and places a hand on his cheek and the other over his heart. 

He covers her hands with his and stares into her pale green eyes, trying to find some hope in this situation. Not finding any, he leans forward and rests his forehead against hers, closing his eyes. 

“I love you so much, Toph. I can't watch you do this. Please, let me take you away from here,” he whispers. 

He feels her shake her head slightly, “I can't,” her voice barely a whisper. “I'm a Beifong. Even if I can't do this, I have to.” She removes her other hand from his chest and brings it up to his face as well. 

Tears are flowing freely down Aang’s face now, skating around Toph's fingers as she holds them to his face. She pulls him to her and brushes her lips against his. Squeezing his eyes closed, Aang pulls her closer and with his lips, tries to convey all of his thoughts and feelings to her. 

A knock at the door is what makes them separate. Poppy opens the door gently and finds them embracing each other in what she thinks is a happy and encouraging hug. 

“Awe, aren't you two sweet. It’s time for the ceremony. Come on Tophie, we have to get you to your spot,” Poppy holds out a hand for her daughter.

Letting go of Aang, Toph moves towards her mother and she feels Aang clutching her hand, unwilling to let her go, until finally, she slips from his grasp. 

He stands near the back of the garden, behind all the seated guests. His hands are still in his pocket, clenching and unclenching his fists. 

Standing at the altar, her face is casted down towards the floor. He hears the officiant declare them husband and wife and as her newly appointed husband leans in to kiss her, Toph jerks her head to the side so his lips land on her cheek. 

Her husband seems to take it as a win and turns towards the audience, Toph's hand clasped tightly in his. He raises them in the air as everyone claps and cheers, his smile bright and cheerful. Toph lifts her face to the audience, her chin held high while tears continue to streak down her cheeks.

She turns slightly, facing his direction and across the audience, they make eye contact. The breath is stolen from Aang as a sob escapes his lips. 


End file.
